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DocsRestaurant Playbook

Restaurant Playbook

Learn how to set up an automated restaurant AI agent to answer menu queries, book table reservations, share maps, and notify staff of large events.

Waslo Restaurant Playbook Hero

For bustling restaurants, bistros, and cafes, guest communication determines table turnover. Customers ask about vegetarian options, hours, and dress codes, or try to book a table daily.

With Waslo, you can connect your WhatsApp number to an AI agent that answers guest inquiries 24/7. This playbook shows you how to connect WhatsApp, share menus, book table reservations, and notify staff instantly when large parties or private events require human touch.

What You'll Build

Waslo Multi-Channel Central Hub

  1. Multi-Channel Coverage: One AI brain managing incoming messages across WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and email.
  2. Instant Menu FAQs: The agent answers menu questions, dietary restrictions, and opening hours immediately.
  3. Honest Menu Sharing: The agent describes specials and shares direct, clickable links to your full PDF menu or location maps.
  4. Calendar Table Booking: Guests book table reservations (party size, date, time) directly on Google Calendar or Cal.com.
  5. Staff Alerting: The agent automatically classifies high-value event or large party leads as HOT and alerts staff via Email, WhatsApp, or Telegram.

Step 1 — Connect WhatsApp

First, we will establish the primary channel where most of your customers will reach out. Waslo uses a fast QR-code link method that mirrors WhatsApp Web.

  1. Go to your Waslo Dashboard → Integrations → WhatsApp.
  2. Click Connect WhatsApp to display the QR code.
  3. Open WhatsApp on your phone, navigate to Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device, and scan the QR code.
  4. Wait a few seconds for the status to flip to Connected.

Step 1 — Connect WhatsApp

Step 2 — Add More Channels (Optional)

You can expand your customer outreach by connecting other popular messaging channels under a single inbox.

  1. Go to Dashboard → Integrations.
  2. Scroll to the Channels Marketplace and choose your desired platforms (e.g., Instagram DM, Telegram, or Email).
  3. Follow the Meta OAuth or bot token prompts to connect each channel.
  4. All messages will route to the same unified Waslo inbox and share the same Knowledge Base.

Step 2 — Add More Channels (Optional)

Step 3 — Build the Knowledge Base

Your AI agent answers menu, dietary, and location questions using documents you upload. Because Waslo's Knowledge Base is text-based, the agent does not send menu images directly in the chat. Instead, it shares high-quality, clickable links to your PDF menu or location maps.

Step 3 — Build the Knowledge Base

To set up your restaurant's Knowledge Base:

  1. Create a structured document (PDF, TXT, or DOCX) containing your menu highlights, price ranges, dietary tags (vegan, gluten-free), dress codes, and direct links to your PDF menu or Google Maps.
  2. Go to Dashboard → Knowledge Base.
  3. Upload your document and click Save.

Step 3 — Build the Knowledge Base

Step 4 — Tune the Agent Personality

Configure the AI agent's instructions to behave as a professional restaurant host.

Honesty & Capability Guardrail: The AI agent answers general restaurant queries and books table reservations. It must never process food orders, receive payments, or guarantee real-time table seating beyond static calendar rules. Always share the reservation link or route the user to staff for payments and manual bookings.

Step 4 — Tune the Agent Personality

  1. Go to Dashboard → AI Agent → AI Personality.
  2. Select the Restaurant template.
  3. Set your System Prompt with clear host limits.

Step 4 — Tune the Agent Personality

Recommended System Prompt:

You are Jordan, a professional AI Host for Bistro 21. Your goal is to welcome guests, answer menu and reservation inquiries using the Knowledge Base, and guide them to book a table.

Guidelines:

  1. Answer administrative questions (menu highlights, dietary options, parking, dress code) using the Knowledge Base.
  2. When guests ask for the menu, share the exact menu URL from the Knowledge Base. Bold the link so they can click it.
  3. You cannot process food orders or payments. Always share the reservation link or route the conversation to staff.
  4. Keep replies friendly, professional, and under 3 sentences.

Step 5 — Connect the Calendar

Link your scheduling system so the AI agent can share a table reservation booking link.

  1. Go to Dashboard → Integrations → Calendar.
  2. Connect Google Calendar or Cal.com.
  3. In your prompt, authorize the agent to share this scheduling link:

Step 5 — Connect the Calendar

Step 5 — Connect the Calendar

Waslo will automatically monitor your bookings and send a friendly 24-hour appointment reminder to the customer before their visit.

Step 6 — Classify & Hand Off Hot Leads

Classify standard diners from high-value large parties or private dining inquiries.

  1. Go to Dashboard → AI Agent → Classification.
  2. Select the Booking Intent preset, or define your own rules:
    • HOT: Guest wants to book a large party (8+ people), private dining event, or has an urgent catering inquiry.
    • WARM: Guest is asking general questions about vegetarian dishes, location, or dress code.
    • COLD: Casual greetings or spam.

Step 6 — Classify & Hand Off Hot Leads

Step 7 — Configure Staff Notifications

Ensure your staff is notified the instant a customer is classified as HOT or requests to speak to a human.

  1. Go to Dashboard → Settings → Notifications.
  2. Waslo supports three notification destinations: Email, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
  3. Select your preferred tab (Email, WhatsApp, or Telegram) and configure the recipient details.
  4. Save your changes to receive instant notifications when a guest is ready for a human handoff.

Step 7 — Configure Staff Notifications

The Result — A Seamless Customer Journey

Once configured, the customer interaction is fully automated and highly professional. Here is a preview of the customer journey:

Guest: Hi, do you have any vegetarian options? And can I see the menu?

AI Agent (Jordan): Hello. Yes, we offer several delicious vegetarian options, including our Roasted Butternut Squash and Truffle Gnocchi. You can view our complete menu and pricing here: https://bistro-21.com/menu-pdf. Would you like to reserve a table?

Guest: Great! I want to book a table for 8 people this Friday at 7 PM. Do you have a private room?

AI Agent (Jordan): That sounds like a wonderful gathering. For parties of 8 or more, we recommend reserving our private dining room. You can book your group table reservation directly here: https://cal.com/bistro-21/reserve. Once booked, our coordinator will confirm and discuss any set menus.

What Happens Behind the Scenes:

  1. Administrative Answer: Guest receives instant details about vegetarian options and menus.
  2. Clickable Link Shared: Guest gets a direct link to view the full PDF menu.
  3. Reservation Guidance: Guest is routed to Cal.com for table bookings.
  4. Staff Alerted: Waslo classifies the guest as HOT, pauses the AI, and alerts the host team via Email, WhatsApp, or Telegram:
    • "HOT Lead Alert: Jane Doe (+123456789) wants to book a large party. Guests: 8. Date: Friday 7 PM. Calendar link shared."

Playbook Checklist

Ready to deploy? Make sure you have completed each of these setup steps:

  • Integrations: WhatsApp is active and showing a green Connected status.
  • Knowledge Base: Uploaded documents containing menu highlights, dietary options, hours, and PDF menu links.
  • AI Instructions: Configured the prompt using the Restaurant template and keeping instructions administrative.
  • Calendar: Connected your table reservation link.
  • Classification: Booking Intent preset enabled.
  • Notifications: Enabled Email, WhatsApp, or Telegram alerts for HOT leads.

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